Job Discussion Forums

[Frizzie Lizzie]

Any news on ILA Vietnam? I'm tempted to work for them, but would like to hear from old teachers first...Thanks

[Micro67]

I worked there for a year or so and was very happy. The place is professionally run.

[antran1976]

Hi guys,

How is ILA when it comes to hiring overseas English teachers (a Viet Kieu like myself?). Do they hire VK at all? And do they discriminate against VK like some other schools that I have heard? I am qualified and will come to VN with enough paperwork to legally obtain a work permit. Can I expect a good salary from ILA and some other schools of the same standard? Thanks!

An V. (Leslie) Tran

[Tanker]

It's good to ask on the forum, and even better to ask when you arrive.

ILA does have a pretty good website, and you can contact the admin there.


Good luck.

[The Captain]

ILA? Ho,ho,ho! Could this be a case of Western political correctness getting into bed with Big Brother and coming up smelling of (brown) noses? Surely not! Say it isnt true that ILA is merely a front for Macmillan to penetrate the Vietnamese publishing and Media markets and I'll have to find another reason why ILA operate such an unimaginative,corporate educational establishment.From the softly muted colours of its corporate-style logo,the cool,polished granite and chrome of its interior to the sterile yet paranoid atmosphere of its teaching room ILA,Ho Chi Minh must surely be the apotheosis of accountant-driven private language teaching gone mad.Only a corporate accountant would choose photocopiers capable of completely reformatting a book to the power of a million while making tea and toast for three but incapable of doing simple double-sided copies without backup from a maintenance team.

The school has no independant syllabus of its own,relying on slavish adherance to Macmillan publications such as 'Inside Out.It is not therefore a school in which a new teacher will be encouraged,through exposure to a variety of students books,to develop in their own way and learn to use their own initiative.

Much is made of the teachers and student resources.While its true that a lot of money has been spent,as one would expect,you will see the same marketing strategy being adopted in Thailand and Cambodia as a means of attracting the wealthy punter.Appearances can be deceptive and beauty ,as we know,only skin deep.

Management-wise one can see that people there have been on courses:

Teacher: "I find it difficult to work here because of the atmosphere.Other teachers dont even make eye-contact".
Management: "I couldnt possibly comment on that". (Why not? Does that not fall within your remit?)

Manager: "We need to ensure that the quality of the product delivered to the customer is consistent". (What 'product' would that be,Sir?.....Mayonnaise? Maccaroni cheese? Toothpaste? )

To sum up,ILA Ho Chi Minh looks and feels like a corporate publishers idea of what a school should be about and the result lies somewhere between 'The Office' and 'Sesame Street' but without the laughs because you're in it.Up on its very pleasant ninth floor canteen you might be forgiven for forgetting that you were in Vietnam were it not for the rice and iced tea.If thats your bag,go for it.But if what you're looking for is something a bit more 'authentic' you might regret signing up for a long contract here,even if the money is good for this sort of thing.
Personally I'd rather stay working for Nat West in London,buy a sun lamp and order a carry out......Vietnamese of course.